GEOGRAPHY Just as New York commuters can plot their subway routes, residents of Nairobi can now jack into the city’s informal bus system on their smartphones. (Wired) Use our GeoStory to navigate other transit systems around the world. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources, including pocket-sized and wall-sized versions of the new Nairobi transit map. Discussion Ideas The terrific new mapping … Continue reading Mapping Matatus
ENVIRONMENT For the third year in a row, skies over Madagascar are black with millions of locusts—the insects of biblical fame that gobble up crops and ravage landscapes, mostly in countries where people barely get by. (NPR) Use our resources to better understand the “Lessons of a Cannibal Plague.” Thanks to Alli for the heads-up on this great current-event connection! This video, which describes Madagascar’s … Continue reading Swarming Disaster
By Ryan Schleeter, National Geographic Imagine a platform powerful enough to help first responders direct aid in conflict zones, fuel civil society, encourage participation in young democracies, and provide crucial access to information for underserved communities—all at a rapid pace and at the touch of a button. Now imagine this platform is already in your pocket. More than three billion people worldwide already have mobile … Continue reading Can a Mobile Phone Spark Development?
HEALTH The World Heath Organization calls indoor air pollution the “world’s largest environmental health risk.” More than 4 million deaths are attributed to fuel burned indoors for cooking—a common practice in the developing world. (National Geographic News) Use our resources to learn more about indoor air pollution. Discussion Ideas The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that indoor air pollution is responsible for about 4.3 million … Continue reading ‘World’s Largest Environmental Health Risk’
